Broken
by Cecelia817
Summary: Natsu has been gone a year and a lot has changed. Lucy moved, the guild disbanded, everyone is scattered. What will happen when he comes back and finds Lucy living in a shabby place with Wendy and Carla? How will she react after he left her for so long, without a proper goodbye?
1. Chapter 1

**This wasn't a request, I wrote this for myself. Chapter 416 was too much for me, my heart was hurting. It took me too long to actually, finally, write this. I feel a little bit better. I wanted to get this out before the next chapter came out. I'm thinking about doing a Gruvia, Jerza, and Gale one next. I don't know... I did this one though because Nalu is my biggest OTP in Fairy Tail.**

**So, you know... Ah. Some angst. Nalu of course. **

**I would say enjoy but I don't think you're supposed to. **

**PS: Oh, Wendy is in it. Her hair is short. I really liked it short so blah. I was disappointed when it grew back in 416, though that doesn't mean it wasn't pretty when it was long. I just like short, *shrug* sue me.**

**PSS: Please don't sue me, that was a joke. I don't own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does. Obviously. Unless I do, and don't realize it... No, that wouldn't make any sense. Ignore that last line :p**

* * *

A sigh escaped the blonde as she tried to maintain her composure. The customer standing in front of her had been asking the same question over and over.

Lucy smiled politely, her hands gripping the counter.

"Where is the bath room? Speak clearly, I can't understand you when you mumble," the lady snapped. Lucy felt her lips twitch. She had not been mumbling, and had spoken loud and clearly.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't mean to. The bathroom is that way," Lucy said, pointing to the right, with a fake politeness.

Lucy had to remain polite, she needed this job. She couldn't afford to be fired, not with the guild disbanded and no missions to complete. Lucy winced, she didn't like to think about Fairy Tail, it always hurt. She ached for her family and for the life she had before everything had gone wrong.

Pushing away the thoughts Lucy focused on the customer, who was glaring at her, with pursed lips.

"That's all you had to say," she sniffed. Lucy ground her teeth in irritation.

Lucy bowed slightly, murmuring "Sorry for causing you trouble." She barely stopped herself from adding a snarky remark. She really needed this job.

The lady scoffed and turned away, muttering something about talking to the manager. Lucy suppressed an irritated groan.

She was working in a small book store in the middle of town, called Books United. After Fairy Tail had disbanded, there were no missions to go on, so no money to make. Lucy had had to move to a cheaper apartment, to her regret and remorse. Usually, working in a book store would have been a dream come true, but she found herself missing going on missions with a pink-haired idiot and an annoying blue cat.

Lucy scowled at the book shelf, trying to ignore the memories of them surfacing. It had been months since they had left, and a lot had changed.

Levy and Gajeel had gotten together and decided to travel around the world with Lily in tow. Wendy, not really having anywhere to go, had moved in with Lucy. Erza found a job somewhere in the city as a waitress, though that didn't lessen any of her fighting spirit. I had actually heard she was promoted to the status of a manager. Gray and Juvia had done the same thing as Gajeel and Levy, though Gray refused to admit they were a couple. Master had disappeared, along with Laxus.

Everyone else was so spread out, and whether in Magnolia or in some other city, Lucy couldn't be sure. It was hard to keep in touch with everyone after a while.

Books United was Lucy's only income and she found herself working it night and day, just to be able to afford her small apartment and the food to feed herself, Wendy, and Carla.

Lucy glanced at the watch on her wrist. Her shift was almost over. Lucy was tired and couldn't wait to go home, she hadn't been sleeping lately. When she did manage to, her dreams were riddled with losing Aquarius and Natsu. Dark circles were under her eyes and her body was exhausted.

After organizing a few book shelves she waved at her boss to show her she was done for the day. After grabbing her purse she walked out of the shop onto the cobble stone street. Her feet wanted to head towards the left, to her old apartment, but she knew better than that. Instead, she turned right.

Magnolia, within its own rights, was a very grand city, with tall buildings and clean roads. But the way Lucy was heading, the houses got smaller, and the road slightly dirtier than the main part of Magnolia. It wasn't like it was the slums; it just wasn't as nice as Lucy's old area.

She sighed as she stood in front of the old apartment, brown and plain. In Lucy's mind, it was disgusting. She opened the door and climbed up the stairs, each step creaking under her feet. She walked past a few doors before coming to stand in front of her apartment with '2D' written on the door. Sighing Lucy inserted the key into the door and pushed it open.

The apartment was very small with two bedrooms, one bath, and a small kitchen. Lucy walked through the carpeted hallways and knocked on Wendy and Carla's room.

"I'm home!" Lucy called. There was a small thump from behind the door before it was pulled open. Standing in the doorway was a small girl with short blue hair. Sitting behind her on the ground was a white exceed.

"Hi, Lucy! Welcome back," Wendy said, smiling. Lucy felt warmth spread through her. Even if most of her life had fallen through a dark hole, she still had Wendy. They had grown closer in the time they had lived together, becoming almost like sisters

"Thanks," Lucy said. "I'm going to make some dinner. Wendy nodded.

"Do you need any help?" she asked.

Lucy shook her head, "No, I think I've got it for now. Go back to what you were doing."

Wendy glanced back at the papers spread out on the ground and abandoned books. After she had discovered her mother, Grandine, had resided inside her, Wendy had been researching dragons more fiercely then before.

Nodding, Wendy moved to shut the door, but not before shooting Lucy a worried glance. Lucy knew why she did, but Lucy pretended not to notice. She didn't want to think about it.

Sighing, she walked over to the small kitchen. Mournfully she thought of her old apartment's spacious kitchen. She walked over to the cupboard above the stove that sat next to the fridge and grabbed some noodles with a small frown on her lips. Lucy reached into a cabinet next to the stove and got out a pot. She quickly filled it with water from the sink and started to boil the water.

Lucy's shoulders slumped as she watched the water.

Wendy was worried about her and Lucy couldn't help but agree with that. Even now, she felt her mood darkening. Her eyes went to the calendar on the fridge and her eyes moved to the date. Tomorrow would be the one year anniversary of when Natsu and Happy left. They promised to come back in a year, but she couldn't help but get the feeling that they wouldn't come back at all.

Lucy's chest tightened at the memory of the dragon slayers idiotic grin and the cat's comments. She refused to cry though, she had cried enough the first weeks that they had been gone. Taking a deep and shaking breath she poured the noodles into the pot.

Lucy wouldn't cry.

Once dinner was served, pasta with red sauce and broccoli, they sat around the table that had been squeezed into the kitchen. Lucy served the meal to Wendy and herself, while setting a cooked piece of fish in front of Wendy. After Happy left she had taken a liking to fish, only if it was cooked though.

"How's the research going?" Lucy asked, digging into her pasta.

Wendy's shoulders slumped.

"I can't find anything except for old lore and legends. The dragons are so hidden in mystery it's hard to separate truth from lie." Carla nodded in agreement as she chewed on a piece of fish.

"I'm sure you'll find something," Lucy said confidently. "Maybe you should ask-," Lucy stopped abruptly, her eyes darkening. Levy was probably on the opposite side of Fiore, she wouldn't be able to help.

"Lucy?" Wendy asked, her head tilted to the side. Lucy blinked.

"Ah, sorry. It's nothing!" Lucy lied.

Wendy nodded uncertainly.

Carla cleared her throat, "About tomorrow." Lucy stiffened, her hand tightening on the fork.

"Wendy and I are going to go visit Erza, so we will be gone the whole day. Don't bother making dinner for us. We will be back late," she continued.

Lucy's shoulders slumped. They knew Natsu had promised to come back tomorrow, and just in case he did, they wanted to give us privacy. Lucy also knew Carla was looking forward to seeing Happy, though she'd never admit it, and Wendy wanted to see Natsu, so to put off seeing them for another day must have been tough.

_Too bad they aren't coming back, _Lucy thought sadly.

"Okay, just be careful," Lucy said anyway, not wanting to appear ungrateful for their sacrifice. "You know how Erza acts when her employees mess up, which is often."

Wendy laughed. "We will, don't worry."

After dinner Lucy retired to her bedroom, staring up at the ceiling as she rested on the bed. Though she had been living here for more than eleven months it still felt like a stranger's room, without any of her personal items on display. Lucy was afraid that if she claimed that this was her new home, then it would make it final, and she'd never go back to her old apartment.

She dreaded tomorrow, knowing she would be anticipating Natsu's return, but feel disappointed when he didn't show up.

Besides, how would he find her anyway? She had moved from the place he would go looking for her. Fairy Tail was gone too, and she doubted he knew that the guild had disbanded.

Closing her eyes Lucy tried to rid the memory of finding his letter in her old place. The ache and fear in her chest she had felt when she read in it was so intense that it was hard to breathe. Without thinking she ran out of her apartment, trying to find the idiot, and stop him. She had stopped halfway down the road though, collapsing onto the ground, knowing he was already gone. The feeling of hopelessness spread through her when she realized she really was alone.

W_hy does everyone leave me?_

Lucy fell asleep as a tear slipped down her face and dropped onto the bed.

When Lucy woke up in the morning, there were a few blissful seconds when she didn't remember what today was, she didn't feel the heavy stone that rested in her stomach. Soon enough though, it came back.

She rolled out of bed reluctantly. She longed to stay in bed, and to cry for the rest of the day, curled up in the sheets. But it wouldn't help, and she had to go to work.

Once she was dressed in her uniform she walked out of the apartment, careful not to wake up Wendy and Carla. Lucy still wore her keys on her hip, even though she had little use for them anymore. Lucy couldn't bear with the thought of going without her friends. Around her neck she wore the broken key, Aquarius, on a string. Lucy never went without it, it was her reminder.

When she showed up to work she kept her head down, refusing to interact with her coworkers. She didn't have the energy today. Her shoulders got lower and lower as she sold books and cleaned the store. At the end of the day she knew they couldn't go any lower. Waving goodbye to the manager she started her slow trudge home.

The day had passed quicker then she expected, and like she thought would happen, Natsu and Happy weren't there.

_I knew it._

When she got back to the empty apartment and sat down on her bed. Lucy reached under her pillow and pulled out the wrinkled paper she always slept on top of. It was Natsu's goodbye letter. She finally started to cry, clutching the letter to her chest as tears landed on the paper. She cursed herself for crying, for being so weak, but that didn't stop the tears.

"You promised, idiot. You promised and you aren't here. Idiot, idiot, idiot!" Lucy cried, falling onto her side.

"Why aren't you here? You said you wanted me to take care of everyone, right? What if I need to be taken care of? Come back, Natsu, I need you. Please," she whispered, her voice breaking. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to look at the letter anymore, but not able to let it go.

"I wanted to believe in you Natsu, I wanted to believe you would come back. I tried so hard, so, so hard. But you broke your promise, you idiot. Why aren't you here?"

Lucy wasn't sure why she was talking to herself like this, but it seemed to help calm her down a bit. Slowly her sobs subsided and she stared at the letter, as she had done so many times before.

The last thought she had before she fell asleep was, _Natsu you idiot._

* * *

Natsu wasn't sure what to do. He had thought about their reunion so many times, imagined the scenario going a thousand different ways. This wasn't one of them.

Natsu had arrived in Magnolia with Happy, both happy and excited to see their teammate. Without even thinking about it he had headed towards her apartment. When he had arrived he noticed something strange. It didn't smell like her anymore. Sure, there was the faint scent of vanilla and rain, her scent, but it was so faint. That could only mean she hadn't been there in a long time. Finding this odd he had asked her scary landlady where Lucy was.

The landlady had frowned at him. "Oh, you're back I see. Lucy? No, she left a long time ago. She couldn't afford to pay rent."

Natsu blinked in surprise, "Do you know where she is now?"

She nodded and rattled off the address to her. Of course, he had headed straight towards her new home, and to his relief he caught her scent. Oddly enough it was accompanied by Wendy's and Carla's.

He burst into the apartment, for once using a door, only to find it empty, to his disappointment.

So he waited.

And waited. Finally Happy and he had crashed on a bed in one of the rooms that was riddled with papers. They were exhausted, after traveling all day here. Natsu wasn't sure how long he had slept but woke up when he heard soft crying coming through the wall. He blinked and frowned, then his eyes widened. It was Lucy.

Then he heard her talking, saying his name and yelling at him. She sounded so d_efeated_ and so un-Lucy like that it sent rage through him.

After a small pause, "Why aren't you here?"

Without thinking he left the room, leaving behind a sleeping Happy, and walked into her room. Lucy lay sprawled on the bed, a piece of paper clutched in her hands. Her eyes were shut as her chest rose up and down in a rhythm that told him she was sleeping. Natsu felt his gut tighten at the sight of her.

She was as beautiful as he remembered. Her hair still looked like gold, a few strands falling into her face. Lucy always looked like an angel to him, but never had the feeling struck him as strongly before as it did now.

The only thing that ruined the image was her red eyes and wet face. Natsu hated Lucy crying, that was just his thing. When Lucy cried you knew something awful had happened. Lucy was meant to be smiling with her usual bright manner, crying was not like her.

That alone was a punch in the gut, but then to know she was crying because of him…

Their reunion should have been happy. He wanted to run to her and scoop her up in a hug, to say he was here, he hadn't broken his promise, that he would never leave her again. Instead Natsu did the next best thing. He climbed onto her bed and lay down next to her, his arms pulling her close.

He expected her to pull away but instead of doing that she snuggled closer. Natsu wanted to cry as he finally, _finally, _held her after all this time, and buried his nose in her hair. He breathed, relishing in her scent. Eventually he fell asleep with her.

* * *

When Lucy woke up she noticed two things. First, it was very warm in her bed, and second, she was not alone. Strong arms were wrapped around her body, drawing her close to a firm wall.

Lucy was frozen in terror. Had some creep come in during the night and _cuddled with her?_

"Lucy…" a voice whispered behind her. Her eyes widened and her body stiffened. She knew that voice. She had dreamed about it often enough, and thought about it too many times to forget it.

Lucy was afraid to move, afraid that if she did he would disappear, along with her hopes and dreams.

"Natsu?" she finally managed. The only response she got was to be pulled tighter against his chest. The warmth radiating from him was too much for her. She was so used to sleeping with the coldness and waking up to coldness. Waking up to warmth brought back memories of waking up with Natsu in her bed when everything was normal. On the rare morning she would let him stay in bed, just for a little longer, only when she was feeling especially cold, and he was especially warm.

Tears started to fall.

"Natsu, is that you?" she asked again, voice shaking.

Lucy didn't breathe when no response came. Slowly she turned onto her side to look at the man she was sleeping with. It was definitely Natsu. His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open. His hair was longer, as it was in a ponytail. His muscles were bigger too, and it looked like his body was longer.

A sob shook her body as she stared at him. He was back.

"Natsu, wake up."

Slowly his eyes opened and he stared at her groggily.

"Luce?" he mumbled. Lucy's heart broke; she never thought she would hear him use her nickname again.

Lucy wanted to hug him, kick him, yell at him, smile, scream, cry. So many mixed emotions stirred in her stomach but all she said was, "Natsu, why are you in my bed?"

He frowned at her, as if confused by the question.

"What do you mean?"

Yell at him it was, Lucy decided. She struggled out of his embrace and he let her go reluctantly. Lucy stood up and glared at Natsu. She was beyond angry.

"What the hell, Natsu," she growled through gritted teeth. Natsu sat up, eyeing her warily. "What. The. Hell."

Lucy was shaking, she was so angry.

"How dare you?" she practically shouted. "How dare you just leave for an entire year, and then come back and climb into my bed!"

Natsu gulped and muttered nervously, "L-Luce…"

"No! You don't have the right to call me that anymore!" she shouted at him. He flinched, his shoulders slumping. His features were clouded with guilt and remorse.

"You left for an entire year Natsu! An entire year! Do you realize how lonely I was? Do you know what happened to me before you left? Do you know what happened to the guild?" By now she was crying again, her hands fisted at her sides.

"I needed you Natsu, I needed you so much. And then you left, without even a goodbye. I am so angry Natsu. How could you do that to everyone?"

Lucy took a deep shuddering breath and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

"Everything that has happened… You were something I could count on, Natsu. And you left." Lucy wasn't angry anymore, her anger gone as quickly as it started. Now she was just tired, and sad. She wanted to lie back down and shut her eyes to the world that was spiraling away in front of her.

She had imagined their reunion. She had imagined yelling at him, giving him a piece of her mind. Lucy had thought it would also be a happy reunion after she yelled at him, that she would end up forgiving him and everything would be okay. She hadn't thought that she would be this exhausted so soon, and she hadn't suspected the emptiness she would feel.

It didn't matter if she yelled at him all day, if she released all of her frustration and anger at him. He already knew, she could tell by his expression. Natsu understood and thought he deserved it. That alone was enough to snuff out her anger like a candle.

Lucy fell to the ground, pulling her knees into her chest. Lucy hid her head in her knees and cried, shoulders shaking.

"I missed you so much Natsu, so much."

Natsu felt awful. He deserved it, everything she was saying. Especially when he saw Aquarius's key around her neck, broken. Especially when he saw her broken expression, and especially when he made her cry. Again.

When she fell to the floor though, he reacted without thought. He sat down next to her and pulled her against him. Lucy stiffened just for a second before relaxing against him.

"I missed you too, Luce," he whispered, his voice breaking. "There wasn't a day that went by when I wasn't thinking about you."

Lucy closed her eyes and snuggled closer. This wasn't the end of it, she knew. She was still angry, still sad, and still broken. The guild was still disbanded, her family still in shambles. She still had yet to get her old apartment back and still had to go to work tomorrow.

But, just for a moment, it was okay.

Natsu couldn't help but agree.

"Welcome home, Natsu," Lucy murmured into his chest.

"I'm home."

* * *

**Comments, suggestions, reviews? Yes, no, maybe so?**

**This wasn't a request, but I do take requests for stories. It can be whatever your heart desires. PM me or review. I'm considering doing the post-Arc one for either Gruvia, Gale, or Jerza. Possibly all. So you know, if you want me to write one of those (or all) just tell me.**

**Please review, I want to hear your opinion on the story. How else will I become a better author without your thoughts? I'm going to publish one day *she states confidently, ignoring the doubt that rests in her stomach* Hahaha, I'm weird.**

**Hope you enjoyed (sorry for the kind of corny ending with the "welcome home" thing. I couldn't help it, my heart needed it).**


	2. Chapter 2

**I desperately needed more Nalu, before the next chapter comes out. So, here you go! ;)**

* * *

She was angry. Of course she was angry. He left her, for an entire _year. _No amount of apologizing could really make up for it. It wasn't like she hated him, no she could never hate him. It was just the betrayal that lingered in her chest, the bad kind that wouldn't go away. She had the right to be angry. She also had the right to be sad. So she didn't yell at him while he held her cry, and she didn't yell at him when he picked her up and carried her to the bed. She didn't yell at him when he climbed in next to her, nor did she yell when he pulled her close, drawing the covers over their bodies. She just cried.

It might've been the fact that she could have sworn she heard him sniff and felt something small and wet land on her hair or maybe it was the fact that he kept whispering "I'm sorry," and "I missed you," over and over, but Lucy was finding it hard to push him away. She knew she had to; she couldn't let him keep holding her like this. She had gone on too long without him, survived through too much, to lean on him again. But her body wouldn't move. So she stayed in his arms as silent tears trailed down her face.

When the sun started to rise and the rays shown through the window that rested above her bed, she knew it was time for this moment of peace to end. She had to go to work. There was still Wendy to take care of. And she felt the anger towards Natsu rise like a river.

She wiggled out of his arms but he didn't notice. He had fallen asleep.

She quickly dressed in her uniform, washed her face and brushed her hair. Once her keys were in place she glanced at Natsu. She wanted to kick him out of her bed, scream at him, something, but he looked so peaceful. She couldn't find it in herself to disturb him. She wasn't that cruel.

Lucy walked out of her room, closing the door behind her. Wendy was still asleep so she wrote a note, saying that Natsu was in the apartment and not to freak out. Before she could change her mind and stay, she left her apartment, and went to work.

* * *

Natsu knew something was wrong when he woke up to find the bed empty except for him. He blinked blearily, not quite understanding the situation. Then his eyes widened as he remembered the nights events.

"Lucy?" Panic tinged his voice. He had just gotten her back, he was afraid to lose her. When no answer came he quickly scrambled out of bed. He stormed out of the room, his eyes desperately searching for some sign of his partner. What he found confused him.

Wendy blinked at Natsu, her face a mask of shock.

"Natsu?" she whispered, hardly believing her eyes. His hair had grown, pulled back in a short ponytail. He was taller too, his muscles more pronounced. He even had stubble on his chin.

"Wendy!" Natsu cried, grinning at her with his usual excitement. "It's been so long!" Without warning, Wendy jumped on Natsu, giving him a hug. He chuckled and patted her head. Wendy suddenly pulled back.

"Have you seen Lucy?" she asked hesitantly. Natsu's expression grew cloudy, causing Wendy to bite her lip nervously.

"Yeah," he muttered, looking away. His gaze snapped back to Wendy after a second's hesitation. "Do you know where she is?"

"She's not with you?" Natsu shook his head. "Ah, she must be at work then."

Natsu frowned. "Work?" His eyebrows furrowed, then he glanced around as if just realizing where he was. "I don't understand. Why is Lucy living in this place?" he asked. Wendy looked at him, slightly alarmed. Did he not know?

"Natsu," she said carefully, "did Lucy not tell you what happened with the guild?" Natsu's frown deepened. To be honest, he could remember Lucy saying something last night that had given him pause, but he couldn't remember the details clearly. Besides, he had been too distracted to fully concentrate on that.

Natsu shook his head. And so, Wendy explained.

The day Natsu had left, the guild had disbanded. The marks had remained on everyone though, to Natsu's confusion and relief. Everyone had left, and according to Wendy, not many of the guild had remained in Magnolia. Natsu wasn't sure what to make of it, everyone leaving. He was sure of one thing though, he had to fix it. It wasn't until he saw Wendy's sad face when she explained Lucy's situation that he understood the magnitude of what he had done to her.

Lucy had sacrificed her key Aquarius to save her friends, to save Fairy Tail. Then, he and Happy left, and then the guild disbanded. Natsu found it hard to imagine the pain she went through after that. Eventually Lucy had had to moved, and found this place, and now worked at a small book store. Natsu felt sick.

He had left her when she needed him. Now it all made sense, her accusations, the broken key, living in this apartment with Wendy and Carla.

Natsu had left to protect her, but instead he had caused her more pain.

It didn't matter that he left with only good intentions, or the fact that his time away was meant to be time for him to heal after the second loss of his father. None of that mattered, except Lucy.

Eventually Natsu went to go get Happy, only to find him and Carla talking quietly. Natsu waved at Happy, but he just shooed him away. By the look in his eyes, he understood what had happened in the time away.

So Natsu sat with Wendy, and they talked. Natsu wasn't really listening though, his mind caught up in Lucy. He wasn't sure how she would react when she got back. Last night, she had been half asleep, and still had been angry. Now that she was fully awake he shook at how she would respond. What made it worse was the thought that she might cry again.

But he couldn't leave, he wouldn't. He deserved whatever punishment she decided to place on him. He would do whatever she asked, except one thing.

He would never leave her again.

* * *

Lucy was distracted the entire time at work. She couldn't focus on her job, her mind too filled with the pink-haired idiot. Her boss yelled at her three times for organizing books wrong, and selling a book with an expired coupon. When the day was over, Lucy found the thought of going back home to be more terrifying then facing Erza and Mirajane in battle.

Nonetheless, she walked home. She wasn't sure how to face Natsu anymore, or what to say. She was still angry, yes, but also happy to see him. She realized now that leaving this morning without saying anything had been the cowards way out. She should have done something.

Before Lucy knew it she stood in front of her apartment, staring up at it with dread. Gritting her teeth she stomped up the stairs and opened the door, ignoring the nervous flutters in her stomach.

As Lucy started to close the door something attacked her chest. She looked down in surprise and alarm to find something furry crying her name over and over.

"Happy!" she cried in surprise.

"Lucy! I missed you so much! I'm so sorry, I didn't realize! I am so sorry, Lusshiii!" By now his face was overrun with tears and snot as he stared up at her. Lucy's shoulders slumped as she pulled the cat closer.

"It's okay, you're back now," she murmured. He shook his head violently.

"We shouldn't have left you alone, Lucy," he sniffed. "I missed you so much!" Lucy felt her heart melt just a little.

"Then I guess you'll just have to make up for it by not leaving again, right?" she said quietly. Happy nodded vehemently. Lucy chuckled at the Exceed.

"Welcome back, Happy." Happy smiled and then hesitated.

"Have you talked to Natsu yet? He missed you just as much as me, you know…" he trailed off, eyeing Lucy uncertainly. Lucy flinched as if he had hit her. Happy's eyes widened at the girls vulnerable expression. "Sorry…" he mumbled, looking on the verge of tears again.

Lucy said hurriedly, "It's not your fault Happy! I talked to him last night, so it's okay. I just need a few moments alone with him, if that's okay." Happy blinked at her determined expression.

"Aye! He's in the really small living room." Lucy nodded and braced herself as she walked to the room, leaving Happy behind. The living room was small, as Happy had pointed out, with only a small couch and coffee table to occupy it. The couch faced you when you walked in the room, and sitting in it was Natsu. His whole body was tense as his intense gaze penetrated Lucy.

Lucy took a deep breath before going to sit on top of the table opposite him. Lucy glanced at him and realized with a slight flush that he looked older, and more handsome. He had always had this boyish cuteness about him, but this was different.

Natsu cocked his head in confusion at her red cheeks. He didn't comment though, finding it hard to say anything. Now, as he sat in front of her, fully rested, and completely awake, he found it hard to breathe. He hadn't really realized how much he missed her until he found himself face to face with her.

He wanted nothing more than to drag her into a bone crushing hug, but he knew, under the circumstances, she wouldn't appreciate that. So he sat there, tense as a bow string, and awaited his punishment. His eyes were staring at the ground.

Startling him, he felt a hand touch his cheek hesitantly. His eyes snapped up and widened at the sight. Lucy was staring at him with a strange expression.

"You have a new scar on your face," she murmured. All Natsu could do was nod. She was leaning close to him, making it hard for him to think clearly. Her scent was intoxicating. "What happened?" she asked quietly. Natsu cleared his throat before speaking.

"Some bandits took me by surprise," was all he cared to explain. He didn't want to tell her that when he got this scar it was after he had taken care of the bandits. He didn't want to tell her that it came from after he had taken care of them and he had said her name, hoping to brag about his strength only to find her not there. He didn't want to tell her that he got it when he went into a sudden rage at that, and had fallen on his face. He didn't want to tell her that it only became a scar because he lay still on the ground for the longest time, not wanting to get up, or to even heal it.

Natsu winced inwardly at the memory. It had been just after he had left, and his mind was still muddled with losing his father. Not much of what he had done the week after was quite clear. Happy refused to talk about it.

Lucy drew him back to the present when she asked another question. "How many more scars do you have?"

"I think about five more." Lucy nodded, her eyes sad as she looked at him. "What is it, Lucy?" Natsu wanted to call her by her nickname, but was afraid to, after her explosion last night.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, shoulders slumping. "I didn't realize…" he trailed off. When Lucy said nothing he added, "I understand if you hate me."

Lucy wasn't sure how to feel. Part of her told her to yell at him, to give him a piece of her mind. But he looked so defeated and guilt ridden. Before she could stop herself, Lucy reached out and grabbed his hand. His eyes widened at her.

Lucy smiled softly at him.

"I'm not saying I forgive you, Natsu. Not by a long shot. But that doesn't mean I don't understand. I don't hate you, I never could."

"Luce," he started, than stopped abruptly. "I mean, Lucy-," Lucy shook her head.

"It's okay, you can call me Luce," she said softly, her cheeks tinted red. Natsu frowned, confused by the color that tinted her cheeks, but quickly dismissed it.

"Luce, I don't know how to make it up to you, but I do know one thing. I'm never leaving you again." He said it with such certainty that Lucy felt her insides heat up.

Natsu stared hard at Lucy, watching her expressions carefully. Her warm brown eyes stared at him softly, nearly swallowing him whole. How long had he dreamed of those eyes? Some part of him realized that dreaming of his partner like that was not how friends were supposed to feel, but the other part just didn't care.

When she smiled at him, one of her Lucy smiles, full of light and happiness, he couldn't stop himself from dragging her into a hug. A muffled gasp escaped her as he pressed her against his chest. After a seconds pause, she let out an exasperated sigh and wrapped her arms around him.

Natsu hummed happily at her. He really had missed her.

Eventually she pulled back, much to his disappointment. "So, did you accomplish your goal?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Natsu grinned at her, something that made her heart stumble, just a little.

"Yeah!" he said excitedly. "I bet I could beat Erza now!" Lucy giggled softly, and Natsu nearly collapsed from relief at the sound of her laugh. It had been far too long since he had heard that beautiful sound.

Lucy quickly sobered though, her expression going solemn. Natsu followed her example. Natsu couldn't help but stare at the broken key wrapped around her neck. His previously happy mood vanished, replaced by guilt.

"Luce, there's nothing I can really do to make it up to you, is there?" he said quietly. It wasn't really a question. Lucy didn't have an answer.

Eventually, she just said, "Just don't leave me ever again."

This was something he knew he could promise, something he would keep for the rest of his life.

"Never again," he promised.

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**Comments, suggestions, reviews? Yes, no, maybe so?**

**What did ya think? I literally wrote this when I was wrapped up in a big blanket. Not sure why that is important... I don't even know... *sigh* I'm tired. **

**Anyway *squeal* the next chapter comes out tomorrow! **

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright you little turds, your next chapter. Do you realize that this story was supposed to be a one-fic? It says so in the description! But then I made the mistake of writing an extra chapter, because the Nalu feelings were too much for me. But then, you just ASSUMED that I would continue it. My mistake really, I should have clarified. But STILL. When I read all the reviews, asking for the next chapter, I literally banged my head on the desk. That's not to say though, that I'm not delighted you liked it enough for more chapters, and and honored. Though I banged my head on a table, I did it while smiling. It meant a lot. But you're still turds. *glare* And of course, since I love you SO much, I wrote the next chapter. BUT THAT IS IT, I SWEAR (unless you ask for more, because I am just that weak). You guys are evil, I swear. *mutters* Turds...**

**LOTS of Nalu... hehehe... *evil cackle* I had so much fun with this fun, but this is really the first time I've written something quite so... _intimate, _for lack of a better word. And keep in mind, I have no experience. This comes from imagination, so you know, be kind. Please.**

**Anyway, enjoy... Turds...**

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_Where do we go from here?_ Lucy thought to herself as she chopped up dinner in the kitchen. The knife she held mercilessly chopped at the celery on the counter. She wasn't paying attention though, her mind plagued with Natsu. She didn't know what to do with him now. He couldn't live here, and he would most likely move back to his old place. But just the thought of him leaving again filled her with such anxiety and fear. Unintentionally, she slammed the blade down on the celery harder than before, causing a piece of it to fly across the room, and hit the wall.

Lucy bit her lip nervously, ignoring it. _What is wrong with me?_ she thought desperately. She had survived this long without him, and now, here she was again, back to the same place, depending on him like she used to. A sigh escaped her lips as the blonde stared at the counter.

"Lucy?" a hesitant voice asked behind her. Lucy's head snapped up and she spun around. "Are you alright?" Lucy let out a nervous chuckle, as she ran a hand through her loose hair. Lucy had, for a second, thought it to be Natsu calling her.

"I'm fine, Wendy. I just have a lot on my mind," Lucy assured her. Wendy didn't look convinced.

"Is it about Natsu?" Lucy actually, physically recoiled at how correct she was.

"How did you know?" Lucy asked in alarm. Wendy cocked an eyebrow at her.

"It's not that hard to tell. You're an open book when it comes to Natsu." Wendy giggled at Lucy's expression.

Wendy smiled as Lucy went red and started to look slightly panicked. It was so obvious that Lucy liked Natsu, though Wendy had doubts on whether she herself knew it. Wendy felt her amusement fade as she saw Lucy's face slip back into a frown.

"I'm just not sure where to go from here," she murmured, her gaze drifting to the right. Hanging on the wall, was a picture of the guild standing in front of the guild. "The guild is gone, everyone is gone… I just…" she trailed off, not sure what else to say. Wendy reached over and grabbed Lucy's hand.

"You still have me and Carla," she said, "and now Natsu and Happy are back!" Lucy blinked, and then smiled softly.

"Yeah, sorry. I didn't mean to sound so depressed. It's just happening so fast," she said quietly. The blonde drew Wendy in for a hug and the small girl wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Don't worry Lucy, everything will work out. Fairy Tail will surely come back, it always does."

Natsu frowned. The cottage was overgrown with plants and looked shabbier then a year ago. He pulled open the door and scowled when the door fell off of its hinges, and landed with a loud _smack_ on the inside of the house. Happy let out a small whine.

"Natsuuu, I don't want to live here anymore. It's all dusty, and," he wrinkled his nose in disgust, "dirtier then when we left it." Natsu pressed his lips into a thin line as he walked into the dark room.

"What else are we supposed to do, Happy? Lucy's place is too small to let us stay in. And it's not like we have another place. We'll just have to clean." His face brightened. "Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't we ask Lucy to help?"

Happy wagged his tail from side to side at the idea. He didn't like to admit it, but he really had missed Lucy, and the thought of spending more time with her filled him with joy. They were nakama after all.

"Aye!" he cried.

"No."

"Come on! Please?"

"I said no, Natsu."

"Lucy! You are better at cleaning then both of us combined! We need you!"

W_here were you when I needed you? _Lucy shoved the thought down into the darkest corners of her mind. It didn't matter, they were back now.

Natsu clasped his hands and leaned towards her. Lucy felt red stain her cheeks at his proximity. His eyes looked so helpless, and Lucy felt her will slipping.

"Fine," she sighed in defeat. Natsu grinned in triumph and let out a cry of happiness. Without thinking, he leapt forward and dragged her into a hug. Lucy stiffened, but quickly relaxed and patted him on the back as she suppressed a laugh.

Natsu frowned as a warm feeling started to stir in his stomach. It wasn't his usual heat; this was more intimate, deeper almost. Natsu couldn't help but notice her golden hair that tickled his face as he hugged her, or her sweet scent that invaded his nostrils. He found he didn't want to let her go, ever. It surprised him to say the least; he wasn't used to feeling this away. Natsu almost let out a whine of protest as she pulled away, but bit his tongue.

Lucy frowned at him. "Is something wrong Natsu?"

Lucy's eyes widened as she saw Natsu blush. He never blushed, never. Could he…? No, she quickly dismissed the thought. It would never be like that between them. She knew that. But still, the fact remained that he was blushing.

"Um, Natsu?" she said in concern. He was frozen, staring at her dark brown eyes with an almost awe filled expression. Lucy felt heat rush through her body. It took a certain amount of will to avert her gaze and mumble, "We should get going if we want to start cleaning."

Natsu blinked, and then blinked again, before nodding quickly. "U-Uh, yeah, we should."

He stood from her couch, and Lucy followed his lead.

_Never,_ Lucy thought sadly, _he would never feel the same way. Never._

Natsu couldn't help but keep glancing at the girl as she quietly cleaned his place. Happy had decided to hang out with Carla instead of help clean, and Natsu couldn't help but feel a small amount of relief. He loved Happy, of course, they were as close as anyone could be. But Natsu couldn't help but want alone time with Lucy.

Natsu sat on the ground, watching her as she moved around, seemingly oblivious to his attention. Natsu couldn't understand it, but he suddenly felt like their relationship had changed. Not in a dramatic way, no nothing like that. It was more subtle. It was almost like an invisible shift in a working machine. You couldn't see it, but you could feel it. Natsu wasn't sure what exactly it was, but he had a suspicion that it had to do with how he couldn't stop staring at her soft lips, or her brown eyes that threatened to swallow him.

He was finding it harder and harder not to drag her into his body and kiss her until he couldn't feel his own lips. This was strange for him, as he'd never felt this way about his nakama. Lucy had always been Lucy to him, something precious, someone to protect, but never someone to kiss. He found that he was slightly uncomfortable with these growing feelings, but also that if he didn't kiss her, everything would be off kilter in the world.

That wasn't to say that kissing was the only thing he wanted to do. He wanted to just be near her, whether that was just them talking, or being physical. Though being physical did have a certain appeal, his feelings went deeper than that. He wanted to hear her laugh, and see her smile. Natsu wanted to watch her as she talked and just be near her. He wasn't sure what to make of these feelings, or even what to do with them.

Part of him was tempted to just tell her these things, but he knew it was more complicated than that. He could feel it in the air, he still hadn't won back all of her trust and she was still hurting. Something told him that these feelings wouldn't help the situation. So Natsu stayed quiet and just contented himself with watching her.

Lucy felt his gaze like a burn mark, but she decided to ignore it. Lucy wasn't stupid, she knew that kind of watching. It was the kind that said you were fascinated, that you wanted to do things that weren't what friends usually do. She had felt that kind of stare more than enough times to know it. Lucy was still having a tough time accepting that it was coming from Natsu. He was Natsu after all.

Lucy eventually managed to convince herself she had made a mistake at what the stare meant, what all of it meant. She was afraid to be right, more than anything.

Taking a deep breath she turned to Natsu. "What is it?"

Natsu blinked and frowned at her in confusion.

"Natsu, you're staring at me," Lucy sighed.

"Oh…" he mumbled. His hands started to fumble as his eyes looked anywhere but at the blonde. "I was just…" he stopped, unsure of what to say. Lucy pressed her lips together and made a split second decision.

She set down the rag she was using to dust on a table and walked over to Natsu. Lucy slid down against the wall until she was sitting shoulder to shoulder next to Natsu.

"It sure has been a long time since we've seen each other, hasn't it?" she asked, her eyes staring at the opposite side of the room. Natsu hesitated, not sure of where this was going.

"Yeah, a year," he said. He cast her a confused look. Lucy nodded in agreement, but only seemed to be half listening.

"A lot of things can change in a year," she said. Lucy shot him a look full of meaning. Natsu frowned at her.

"What kind of things?"

Lucy sighed and bit her lip. Then, slowly, she leaned her head against his shoulder. Natsu didn't even think about it, his body moved without his permission. His arm snaked around her and pulled her close against his side.

"Um, well, things like how you think of a person." Red colored her cheeks as she looked up at him with a question in her eyes. Natsu wasn't the smartest out there, even he knew that, but he wasn't an idiot. Even he could read the question that was settled in her eyes.

A different kind of heat raced through him, setting his nerves on edge. Suddenly, her lips looked very close to his, and he could feel her breath tickling his neck. He swallowed thickly, unable to look away from her.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," he mumbled stupidly.

"So…" Lucy trailed off. An open invitation.

Natsu didn't question it. Without thinking, which he seemed to do a lot of when it came to Lucy lately, he leaned forward until their noses were touching. Natsu carefully reached down and cupped her cheek. He couldn't help but notice how soft her skin was, and how good it felt against his own.

Then Lucy licked her lips, and that was his breaking point.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. He moved slowly and carefully against her. He hadn't ever kissed anyone before, and was afraid to mess up. Lucy moved with the same kind of care but it wasn't long before they were both pressing their mouths harder against each other. Fire raced through Natsu, one so hot he was afraid it would burn his insides up, until he was nothing but a pile of ash. He couldn't find it in himself to care though.

A rich kind of greediness and hunger enveloped them. They wanted nothing more than to be closer, and for it to never stop. And for a second, it felt like it never would. It was perfect, everything, from the shape of the lips to the soft sighs that escaped each other's mouths.. But it did end, eventually. They parted, both panting heavily. Natsu rested his forehead against hers, not quite believing what had just happened.

Had she really just been cleaning his place a moment ago?

Lucy's mind was in a whirlwind. Had they just kissed? It had felt a lot better than she imagined it could have. Lucy felt like she had just stepped into a strange new territory, but never had she felt so at home at the same time. Lucy glanced up at Natsu and her heart sped up at what she saw.

Natsu was staring at her with such a happy expression, and his eyes made her stomach drop. They were full of love and care. Not sure what to do with the happiness that swelled up inside of her chest, she let out a breathy laugh. Natsu pouted at her, looking hurt.

"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to laugh after a kiss," he mumbled looking down. Lucy shook her head, and pressed her lips against his temple. His spiky hair tickled her nose.

"I didn't mean it like that, Natsu," she murmured, with a smile in her voice. "I'm just happy. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to do that."

He immediately perked up. "Really?"

Lucy giggled softly and pecked him on the lips. "Of course, you idiot. Do you know how many day-," she immediately cut off, both hands clamping around her mouth. Her face went as red as Erza's hair.

"Luce," he said, grinning slyly. "Were you about to say daydreams?" When Lucy went redder, if possible, he started to laugh, throwing his head back like a little kid.

"It's not funny!" she cried. She buried her head in his shoulder, shielding her face from view.

"Oh come one, Luce. You have to admit, it's a little funny."

"It's not at all!" she whined. He chuckled and pulled her against him until she was sitting on his lap. Lucy sighed and closed her eyes, completely content to stay where she was. It was so warm.

He hummed into her hair happily, his arms wrapped around her. He would never let her go, and it didn't look like she minded. Before Lucy could stop herself she said quietly, "Thanks, Natsu."

He glanced down at her. "What for?" She smiled and snuggled closer to his chest.

"For mending some of the cracks."

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**Comments, suggestions, reviews? Yes, no, maybe so?**

**DUUUUDDDDEEESSS I forgot to mention this. I was on tumblr and saw this thing where it was talking about how Natsu would want to name his first child Luigi. I was FREAKING OUT. I'm thinking about writing a fic for it. What do you think? Interested?**

**Anyway, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed. As you know, I do take requests for stories. It can be anything that pleases you. Just review or PM me with it. **

**BYEEEEEE... Turds...**


	4. Chapter 4

**So I MIGHT have written this two months ago and forgot to post it... Please don't hate me. This is definitely the last chapter. Thanks for reading, it's been fun :) LOVE YOU!**

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The day was hot and sunny but it was ten times hotter with her dragon slayer standing so close to her. Lucy turned and glared at Natsu.

"Natsu, you're making it hotter than it already is, would you stop it?"

He grunted, "Sorry Luce."

Lucy sighed and glanced at her surroundings. They were walking around the outskirts of Magnolia, desperately looking for a path that wasn't there. She glanced at the map that she held in her tightened hands. The damn thing was a liar.

"It's hot!" Happy whined for the hundredth time. Lucy grit her teeth to keep from snapping at the cat that flew beside her. She wasn't complaining, so why did he have the luxury of whining? "And I'm tired," he continued, "and we're lost."

Lucy's shoulders slumped in defeat. They were lost. They stood in a small clearing surrounded by woods and tall grass. The path they had been traveling was long gone and they were now traveling in an aimless direction. Lucy, Natsu, and Happy had decided to leave Magnolia and start up Team Natsu again. They wanted to find all of the Fairy Tail members that were scattered around the country. Wendy and Carla had decided to stay with Erza for the time being, both wishing to continue their research.

Lucy had some information collected on where some of her friends might be, but it was small and scattered at most. Basically they were searching for a needle in a haystack, except there were many needles in a haystack the size of a country.

Natsu glanced at Lucy out of the corner of his eye and on instinct, reached out and grabbed her hand.

"We'll find them," he said confidently. He grinned at her and it was infectious. She smiled back at him as warm butterflies flew in her stomach.

How was he able to do that? One moment she would be down in the dumps, thinking awful thoughts, and the next he would just smile at her, _just smile, _and immediately every one of her doubts and fears would disappear.

"I know," she sighed. "It's just, everyone is so spread out. We have no way of knowing where anyone is."

Lucy blinked almost in surprise and then turned to Natsu.

"Hey, why are we walking? I know you have motion sickness, but the town is a long way away…" she trailed off noticing his pained expression. Unable to speak, Happy did for him.

"Natsu is really strong now, so the effects of his motion sickness have doubled. It got so bad he passed out multiple times and was in actual pain. It's a lot worse than it was before." Lucy patted Natsu on the back, rubbing comforting circles as he crouched over, looking ready to keel over and die.

"I guess great power comes at a great price," she murmured.

"No kidding," he groaned. She sighed as she cast another glance at the landscape in front of them, dread once again filling her. This would be a long travel.

_But_, she smiled as she glanced down at their still clasped hands, _at least we're together._

And so they continued their journey to find their comrades together. Because, it was always more fun when they were together wasn't it?


End file.
